Nautical numpty Murphy ought to know more about sinking ships at Leeds but the midfielder's historical howler at least raised a much-needed laugh in the dressing room.

There's precious little else to smile about with the club losing £1m a month and facing an uncertain future thanks to a takeover saga that would have been dismissed as even too far-fetched for a plotline on soccer soap Footballers' Wives.

“There's a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes there at the moment with the wage deferral and it does creep onto the pitch. It's a massive club and you want to see them doing well”

Paul Keegan

Leeds are a shambles on the pitch after a fifth defeat in six games to resurgent Rovers.

But off it, Brian McDermott's men are trying do their bit, taking a 50 per cent pay cut this month to help the cash-strapped club through its latest crisis after Massimo Cellino's buy-out bid was blocked.

The Italian businessman discovers today whether he has been successful in his appeal against the Football League's decision to stop him taking a 75 per cent controlling interest from unpopular current owners GFH Capital.

Striker Matt Smith urged supporters to stick with McDermott's faltering side, who have won just once in nine games to send their campaign into freefall.

Smith said: "It's tough times at the minute, but we've got to really keep going these last eight games and we've got to thank the fans."

Rovers took full advantage of Leeds' troubles to surge into a comfortable two-goal lead thanks to clinical first-half strikes from David Cotterill and Billy Sharp.

Prolific Leeds skipper Ross McCormack headed his 28th goal of the season from Smith's knockdown after the break, but it was too little, too late to stop the rot.

Doncaster remain eight points clear of danger, and their ex-Leeds midfielder Paul Keegan said: "I started my career here and I've always wanted to come back and get a win - so it's off my to-do list now.

"There's a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes there at the moment with the wage deferral and it does creep onto the pitch. It's a massive club and you want to see them doing well."